An update for the Outlook Android app landed today that introduces a handful of substantial features, the most notable of which is server-side search. This new functionality allows you to search through all of your email, even messages that aren't on your phone. But Microsoft must have doubts about the app's reliability, because they've included a link to search for more messages at outlook.com if things don't work out.

If you still rather have a copy stored on your phone, the option to download all mail is now in place as well. Users can also search for aliases and set vacation replies. But here's where things get interesting - you can change the theme's color. Since there's only three or four colors on the screen at any given time, there are quite a few themes to choose from.

What's new:

Server-side search for easy access to all email, not just the ones synced to your phone

Unlimited sync of all email history for full off-line access

Capability to send emails from Outlook.com aliases

Eight new colors to customize the app interface

Ability to set and manage vacation replies

Traditional Chinese language support

Most of us just stick to Gmail, but some people have to use Outlook for one reason or another, and it's nice to be able to take it with you on an Android device. If you're interested in giving Microsoft's free app a go, you know where to find it.

Comments

Bleakvision

Great news I was anticipating this.

mesmorino

Protip: The ONLY people who "stick to gmail" are those people who were *already* using gmail. MOST people stick to the default mail client, or otherwise go looking for their mail client's app. Stop injecting your biases where they're not wanted, the world is not comprised of Americans and the global technological user base is not comprised of Android enthusiasts

Cole Mickens

I don't even know what on Earth you're talking about. What does the popularity or widespread nature of Gmail have to do with Android or Americans?

mesmorino

The "popularity" or "widespread" nature of gmail is a ridiculous misconception that is shared by Americans in general, and spread by Android enthusiasts in particular.

This is because Google is an American company, based in America. Thus, Americans tend to have this ridiculous idea that Google is popular in the rest of the world because it is so popular in America.

Android enthusiasts share this unfounded opinion because by and large not only are they Americans, they are are also Google fans and tend to presume that because you use or like Android, that you must use (and like) other Google products.

That's how you get stupid statements like "Most of us just stick to Gmail", like in the article. What he really means is most likely "Most Americans just stick to gmail"

Now watch as I get about a billion downvotes for stating simple facts to wit: America is not the world, regardless of how much Americans like to think so

Philip Kahn

Nah, not a billion downvotes, only the half billion from Gmail users. Well, minus one, as I won't downvote.

Nicholas Ruiz

Yeah because there aren't countless international users of Gmail and Google. Ooooookay. Take your anti-American politics somewhere else.

mesmorino

Politics? Who said anything about politics? Calm your tits darling, ain't nobody hating on you. Of course there are "countless international users of Gmail and Google".

Just not as many as Americans like to think.

Nicholas Ruiz

Got statistics?

Darkbotic

Don't feed the asshole troll. It's worthless...

Nicholas Ruiz

Good point. I'll stop.

mesmorino

If you're going to listen to the dumbass then it's probably a good thing that you stop. I don't know how expressing facts is trolling, but sure.

Interestingly, his comments amount to saying i'm a troll- hardly discussion worthy and if you ask me, *that's* trolling

Darkbotic

Good girl. Here's a cookie...

mesmorino

Oh hi troll! Did you still want that kiss or is the cookie for something else?

andy_o

Facts that you don't have evidence for because you "don't need" it. That the homophobe up there is being the asshole here doesn't make you right either.

mesmorino

You misunderstand. The reason that I don't need evidence is not because these facts are self evident: Do you need evidence to know that a) America is not the world and b) The rest of the world is bigger than America? or even c)That Google's userbase does not encompass the entire population of America?

Not everything needs to be fact checked, otherwise we'd never get anywhere. Oxygen is good for you, you don't need to test it before breathing in. Faeces are bad for you, you don't need to do a mass spectrography before you know not to eat them. I could go on and on, and these are merely the obvious ones.

How about the more obscure ones, such as, "wearing a seatbelt is a good idea"? In any case, I don't mind being disagreed with, I enjoy discussion. If you think I am wrong, then by all means please explain how America is in fact the world, and the rest of the world is smaller than America.

Not having evidence and blithely stating unverifiable facts isn't what makes me right, *being* right is what makes me right. If I come off as arrogant, that is not my intention (believe it or not)

mesmorino

Pfft, for this? I don't need them. I know that a) America is not the world. b) The rest of the world is bigger than America.

Those two together allow me to infer that since Google's (or Gmail's) userbase does not even encompass the entire American population, it is nowhere near the global population. Is it so wrong to ask for some clarity in the articles I read? If you'll scroll up, my entire point of disagreement is the generalistic "most of us just stick to gmail".

This is a typical (in my experience) American attitude, it's the same attitude expressed by iPhone users- Apple is big in California, therefore it is big in the rest of the world! Does that not sound ludicrous to you?

Slawootsky

Quickquestion: Why are YOU so "outrageous" ABOUT the *innocent* article?

mesmorino

I see what you did there, and I like it!

Darkbotic

That's because she's an asshole...

mesmorino

I'm a guy, and you're an even bigger asshole.

Darkbotic

I know you're gay, asshole...

mesmorino

LMAO and I'm the troll?

Actually wait, the best you can come up with is that I'm gay? Hahaha, you seem to think that's a bad thing! Come here let me give you a big fat gay kiss! I'll even put in some extra tongue for you!

Lol dumbass

andy_o

Well that went downhill fast.

Darren Ferguson

Switched to Gmail when I got an android device. So glad I did. Wish I got in earlier and could use some variation of my name though.

mesmorino

How do you mean? You can choose what to call it, I think. As in, what name you want it to display in the send field. Like, my gmail address is "my middle name + my last name at gmail dot com", but when I send emails it reads as from "my first name last name"

Darren Ferguson

Nah, I mean the actual address itself. I tried heaps of variations, all taken. Went with the name I use for gaming and other accounts where I don't use my real name.

Did they finally make an "always show images from this sender" button? It's what bugged me most from previous versions.

Martial Clausse

It now also shows the title of the mail in the 'new mail' notification.

Mark

Really don't know why anyone would want this crud over Gmail. Is Microsoft good at anything anymore? Pretty much every product is inferior to what Google/Sony offer up.

Robert Castles

I thought this was a real outlook client with exchange support. Oh well.

xnifex

now if only they made a good app to interface with office 365.

Markoff

gmail seriously? anyone still using that crap full advertisement and new layout forced down to throat onto users every few months? no thanks, I was sick of google forcing the new kiddy design on me and I am glad I switched long time ago to Outlook.com which looks like webmail from year 2013 - clean & touch friendly unlike that mess from past available at GMail
another benefit of Outlook.com - no need to have any messenger, since I can chat there with my MSN, Skype (including video calls in browser), Facebook and GTalk contacts
people using gmail should seriously have a look at Outlook.com to see they are living in past and supporting Google data collection programme
last time google pushed down through my throat their stupid Google+ account on my Picasa web albums which Google made inaccessible to anyone but me if I don't switch to G+
thanks but no thanks to any google services, we don't need you anymore, you become evil corporation pretending to be friend, better stick with just corporation and diversify, e-mail from Outlook.com, search from Bing or Duckduckgo, imagehosting from Flickr or Minus.com etc. etc., browser from Opera or Firefox

enoch861

I'm I the only one who thinks that app looks, dare I say it, good?

mikebel3

Has anyone tried using both this app and setting up outlook.com as an exchange/hotmail account in the built in app? Which one is better?